Posts Tagged ‘QR’

Over the last six months, hundreds of magazine articles and press releases have been issued regarding QR technology.

As a result, it is no wonder that QR technology is finally hitting the radar screens of many apparel retailers in the United States and Europe.

However, the process of determining how best to use QR technology as an in-store merchandising tool is proving to be a challenging one for many apparel retailers.

Query QR

One common problem thus far in retailers’ evaluation process is that too much emphasis is being placed on the QR technology itself.

Many retailers are beginning their investigation of QR implementation by focusing on the technology rather than on what role it should play in their overall mobile strategy.

In some cases, apparel retailers are postponing any evaluation of the technology based on the mistaken belief that one 2D code will emerge as the universal standard similar to the way that UPC evolved for point of sale usage in the U. S.

The majority of these apparel retailers would be well served to begin their evaluation process now and to focus more effort on determining exactly what they want to accomplish with the technology.

By knowing what they ultimately want to achieve with the technology, retailers put themselves in a position to make a better decision as to what QR platform or solution would work best for them.

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QR codes are awesome. I don’t care how geeky that sounds cause it’s true. Clearly we’re not the only ones who think so with the recent and explosive 1200% increase in the use of QR codes in North America.

What makes QR codes really cool is the fact that there is literally no end to how they can be used. It can be as creative as creating a scannable and edible waffle that leads to a specific URL, or as useful as appearing in campaign signs. It can even be used in architecture, as is being done in Dubai.

Fight crime

QR codes are going to be put to use by the Vancouver Police in their efforts to catch a sex offender. The QR codes have been placed on wanted posters linking to additional information about the criminal including composite sketches and a description of the man. The posters have been placed in restaurants and bars around Vancouver.

Shop at a virtual supermarket

In Korea, Tesco has created virtual supermarkets using QR Codes. Virtual displays have been placed in subway stations where shoppers can scan the QR codes of products, and the item is automatically added to their shopping cart. The online purchase is then delivered to your home. To see the method in action, watch the video below:

Interact with a hip-hop music video

QR codes are slowly making their way it into pop culture. Los Angeles based Korean MC,Shin-b takes interaction to a new level with her latest music video. The video is strewn with QR codes which lead to all sorts of different information – from a google search of her name to her Twitter profile. Of course in order to catch the QR codes, you’ll have to constantly pause the video. If you want to try it out for yourselves, check out the video below:

Leave hidden messages

Well they wouldn’t be entirely hidden to anyone who knows what a QR code is, but using a basic QR code generator, like this one or this one, you can type whatever you want and leave the message to be found by someone, as an ultra-modern version of a message in a bottle.

You can also use this method to create a pre-populated email message. Digital Inspiration provides the easy method using the MATMSG identifier. To create the email, use this exact format, down to the semi-colons:

Learn more about your meal

Boston restaurant Taranta has incorporated QR codes into its meals. Using a rubber stamp or silk screen QR codes, your dish at Taranta comes with a scannable code on fish orders telling you where and when the fish was caught, and when it was delivered to the restaurant.

Create Art

There is no limit to the kind of scannable art that can be created using QR Codes. One of the most recent examples comes courtesy of QR Dress Code. The exhibition consists only of art created with the QR code in mind, all of which is fully scannable. The interesting thing about how they use the QR codes is that the links don’t just lead you to more information on the artist, but can actually lead you to additional works of art.

Check out the French video below to get a better idea of what the exhibition consisted of, and you can also scan a few of the QR codes yourself to see the art for yourself.

Have you seen any interesting uses of QR codes in the wild? Let us know about them in the comments

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While QR codes have appeared on advertisements, art, mobile apps and even sides of buildings, they hadn’t appeared on any currency until recently. The Royal Dutch Mint has unveiled the design for a limited-edition set of QR-coded coins to be released on June 22. By honoring the 100th anniversary of the distinctive Mint building in Utrecht and featuring the first QR code on currency, the coins combine both tradition and technological innovation. The face of each silver 5€ and gold 10€ depicts a portrait of the Dutch head of State, Queen Beatrix with elements of the building’s architecture. The reverse side of the coin displays a QR code which scans the URL (http://www.q5g.nl) ‘Nieuwe Nederlandse Herdenkingsmunt 2011‘, a commemorative coin website. Although this is the first instance of QR codes appearing on coins, we’re sure it won’t be the last.

By Hamilton Chan: Smartphones have quickly become powerful tools for brands and marketers to interact and engage with consumers.

Mobile applications have especially paved the way in mobile marketing strategies, allowing brands to reach their audiences through branded apps and other in-app mobile advertising opportunities.

A new generation of interactive mobile technologies has recently entered the scene that allows us to link real world and digital experiences and communication, among them near field communication (NFC), quick response (QR) codes and location-based services.

These technologies are all driving new channels of interaction between businesses and customers in real-time, context-sensitive environments.

While there is room for all of these technologies to transform how businesses can reach consumers, competing markets and inherent weaknesses within each technology could hinder mainstream adoption.

With this in mind, what should marketers consider before diving into these real-world linking technologies?

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus is showcasing features of its CT-200h hybrid model via Conde Nast’s Vanity Fair, Details and Wired publications and is the first brand to use interactive gigapixel images in nationally-printed publications.

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Strolling through the streets of my hometown, my eye was attracted to a poster in a tram stop. The poster announced that Samsung has launched a new phone in cooperation with Google; the new Nexus. And then there was the QR code. Curious as I am, I opened my QR reader app in my iPhone and scanned the QR. Having installed a new and quite fast new QR code reader at QRscanner.nl, I was led to a website almost straight away. I tell you, it was a website. A fripp’n website and not a mobile site. I could not believe my eyes. Samsung in collaboration with Google led me to a practically non-readable common website to try sell me their new Nexus. Within an instant, I was in complete navigation confusion. Where was I? What were they trying to tell me? What was their call-to-action? Never ever shall I be drawn into the innovations of Samsung again.

Last week I was talking with a couple of colleagues about QR and one of them started to laugh. ‘Why?’, I asked. ‘Well, you see, QR will not fly. It doesn’t stand a chance, especially because Google is now entering the market with view recognition. I must say. It really looks smashing and it must have a lot of future. Of course Google will do its utter most best to get this into our system. And yes, it will succeed. But personally, I believe that QR has a bright future as well. The reason for my optimism? Simple code generation and smart measurement, for instance by Holland’s one and only Oneshoe. This Utrecht based interactive and mobile agency recently introduced a new and innovative tool to measure conversion from paper to phone. This is one crossover traditional media agencies are not likely to measure to the exactness of one-on-one. I for one will hungrily follow the development of this tool. In fact, Oneshoe is very creative when it comes down to QR as a media strategy extension. I recon you should talk with these guys if you want to learn more.

So what is the trouble with QR? Well, to be honest, every now and then a QR code looks a bit nerdy. Its shape is somewhat pixily and apart from black on white, not a lot of different colours are allowed due to readability (scanning) reasons. And of course, people must have a QR reader app in their phone, must know what QR is and must see some end benefit in the little black boxes. So, what can we do about it?

Why don’t you read the QR in this text. You’ll be directed to a Google page showing many examples of QR art. I personally like those experiments as art always searches for new ways, explores borders and enlightens us to think out of the box.

A business pal of mine sent me the latest QR white paper by Deloitte the other day. I really want to share that with you. Please, after having read it, please tell me what you think of QR and what you see as its potency. You may reach me at:

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